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Topic: Serbian Orthodox Hymns/Chant? (Read 1538 times)

I attend a Serbian Church (well, partially) and whenever we have a Serbian Priest to serve in Church Slavonic, I'm met with the expected typical Russian-style chant which closely mirrors a lot of the hymns we sing in the OCA. Yet when I try to search for Serbian Chant on the internet, I'm actually met with Byzantine-Style Chant from Serbia. Is it common for Serbian-American parishes to have Russian music? Is there any reason for the switch from Byzantine to Russian when moved to from Serbia to the United States?

I attend a Serbian Church (well, partially) and whenever we have a Serbian Priest to serve in Church Slavonic, I'm met with the expected typical Russian-style chant which closely mirrors a lot of the hymns we sing in the OCA. Yet when I try to search for Serbian Chant on the internet, I'm actually met with Byzantine-Style Chant from Serbia. Is it common for Serbian-American parishes to have Russian music? Is there any reason for the switch from Byzantine to Russian when moved to from Serbia to the United States?

Serbian Chant is rather hard to sing, and it sounds rather strange to some convert's ears. In many ways, I have found the Serbs to have more in common with the Greeks than the Russians. Russian music, on the other hand, is (in my opinion) far more accessable for Americans. Our priest uses the Serbian melodies. When he is not there, I use the Russian. I can tell which ones the people prefer since many sing along with me when I am using the Russian Chants.

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I would be happy to agree with you, but then both of us would be wrong.

I’ve found a few channels of Serbian parishes in USA and usually there was typical Serbian Chant. The same with very few recordings from USA – all of them were done in Serbian style. Sometimes in Serbia for some parts of Liturgy or other services Russian (synodal) melodies are used. Some Serbian choir also sing some hymns composed by Russian composers.

I agree that Serbian chant for new-coming into church can be a little exotic and all tones can sounds so similar. However, I have to admit, that in Serbian Church are used two variants of byzantine chanting. One is very similar to Bulgarian (only a bit different pronunciation) and the second one is, as I would say, “Serbized”. This second stills being byzantine, but with specific Serbian marks. It has origin in the sacral compositions of Mokranjac. Certainly, there were some others composers and theirs setting are used too.

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Yet when I try to search for Serbian Chant on the internet, I'm actually met with Byzantine-Style Chant from Serbia. Is it common for Serbian-American parishes to have Russian music? Is there any reason for the switch from Byzantine to Russian when moved to from Serbia to the United States?

Looks like the Serbs and Bulgarians have the same approach: Choral music along with Byzantine style chanting. The reason why? Our hymns are incredibly complex, numerous and varied. There is almost no possibility to put all hymns to four-part setting first because of sheer volume and, second because most churches will not have four people to sing in a choir at each possible service. Ergo, chanters who use what is available. It was only the Russian Church with her vastly more superior resources who could have put together 2-3-4 part music for all occasions. Besides, the Russian tones are much more friendly to such an approach.

Caveat: I stand to be corrected as I am not a Church Music theorist or historian, just somebody who was involved in chanting and singing in the choir of a Bulgarian Church.

I am not educated also in church music, but, regarding the Serbs, I think the reason is influence of the West.Namely, Serbs due to the Turkish oppression fled north in Austria where they settled patriarchy, seminaries, schools,... During centuries West influenced Serbian institutions, architecture, music, etc.That is my opinion, but I'm not 100% sure.

"Karlovci chanting" is standard in Serbia. Byzantine is not, although in big cities there is some churches who are trying to reestablish byzantine chanting.All monasteries, except few one, are using also "Karlovci chanting".

I attend a Serbian Church (well, partially) and whenever we have a Serbian Priest to serve in Church Slavonic, I'm met with the expected typical Russian-style chant which closely mirrors a lot of the hymns we sing in the OCA. Yet when I try to search for Serbian Chant on the internet, I'm actually met with Byzantine-Style Chant from Serbia. Is it common for Serbian-American parishes to have Russian music? Is there any reason for the switch from Byzantine to Russian when moved to from Serbia to the United States?

Truly Authentic Serbian chant is very close to Byzantine chant. Most Serbian churches use mostly Serbian chant with Byzantine and Russian chant being used less often. As I said before, Serbian chant is more closer to Byzantine Chant. The 4-part Choral Serbian or Bulgarian tones are not authentic. Whenever you see a piece of sheet music with Serbian or Bulgarian chant slapped on the top, it means that it has been harmonized/(westernized). Many of the chant that we see in OCA Churches might say Serbian or Bulgarian or even Byzantine, but they are actually a 4-part harmonization of the original piece.

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